


Dianthus caryophyllus

by MaJe



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Pre-Relationship, flowershop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 16:47:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6384472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaJe/pseuds/MaJe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kei heads home for his mother's birthday and needs to find a suitable gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nesssa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nesssa/gifts).



> I went to a flowershop yesterday and there were pretty flowers, so I wanted to try and write a flowershop AU and since today is yamafreckles' birthday, I thought it would be perfect for TsukkiKage. I'll probably write a second part sometimes. Also you must know that I have no knowledge of the flower language, I searched "flowers to give to your mother". And the title is latin for pink carnation because I suck at finding titles.

Kei was striding down the streets, looking for a shop that would still be open. It wasn’t that late, but he tended to forget that in his small hometown, people tended to close their shop early, leaving only combini and grocery shops open. Obviously he could not find a suitable gift for his mother’s birthday in those shops.

It wasn’t like he had forgotten. He’d been thinking about buying a gift for a week, but his workplace was really busy lately. He was left with two choices : working overtime, or working during the weekend. So he put in overtime, which didn’t leave him with enough time, or energy, to find a gift for his mother after work. 

As hope started to leave him, he came across a flower shop. The front door was open, and he only hesitated a second before entering. He didn’t remember a flower shop being there, but the last time he was in this town was at least six months ago so it was probably new.

The shop was rather small, but flowers were everywhere, colorful and giving off a nice smell. They were obviously well cared for, which put Kei’s mind at ease.

“Excuse me!”

He walked to the counter, trying to make his presence known. A man came from what was probably the storage room, mud on his cheeks and frown on his face. He had short black hair and sharp blue eyes, and he was pretty tall, though smaller than Kei. He was far from the friendly, smiling florist stereotype but the blond was only here to buy a bouquet, not make friends with some guy he just met.

“What do you want?” The clerk managed to get out after looking extremely uncomfortable. Kei had this strong urge to tease the man he didn’t know, so he did.

“Beef stew. This is a flower shop, of course I want flowers.”

The florist glared, making Kei smirk.

“I meant, what’s the occasion,” he added with some difficulties. He was obviously not used to dealing with people. Kei guessed he had a coworker that took care of this usually.

“My mom’s birthday.”

The florist frowned, obviously bothered.

“I don’t have pink carnations right now…” he whispered, probably to himself but Kei heard it and raised his eyebrow.

“What does that have to do with my mother?”

A sigh escaped the florist’s pretty lips, he was starting to get on Kei’s nerve.

“Flowers have a meaning, pink carnations are a popular choice for mothers because they mean gratitude and love.”

Kei stayed silent for a while, watching the florist. He was obviously focused on finding the best flowers with the best meaning for his mother. He only now bothered to look at his name tag, reading Kageyama just as the florist gave him a small card.

“Write something for your mother while I prepare a bouquet.”

The almost order made Kei frown, but he did as he was told, carefully choosing what he wanted to say to his mother. The florist -Kageyama, Kei’s mind provided- came back with a bouquet made of three rather big flower, surrounded by two kind of smaller flowers. It was nicely arranged, and Kageyama was wrapping it with care, tying a white ribbon to close it. He handed it to the blond while muttering the price, and Kei payed without complaining. He looked the florist straight in the eyes and asked.

“What do theses flowers mean?”

Kageyama looked taken aback but he recovered, pointing to every flower while explaining.

“Irises symbolizes affection and warmth. Lilacs is for the love between a mother and her child, and the bellflowers mean gratefulness.”

Kei looked at the flowers, a small smile slowly gracing his lips, before looking back at the florist.

“That’s perfect then. If only you were that good with handling customers…” Kei smirked.

The florist looked offended, cheeks tinted pink. Kei started to leave when Kageyama called to him. He looked back, not entirely turning, and Kageyama looked like what he was trying to say was difficult.

“If you come tomorrow I’ll have pink carnations for your mother… Free, as an apology.”

Kei turned back to hide his smile. “I’ll consider it...”

He left the flower shop at that. If he delayed going home more his mother and brother would worry. But he had found an interesting new place in this town, so maybe he’d try to come home more often…

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his first visit to Kageyama’s flower shop, Kei finds himself going again and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A year later, I'm finally back with the new chapter, still a birthday fic for Jo! I had to skip the epilog because of time management but at least it's here! (I also edited the first part but that's not important)

If Kei was to be honest, he’d say it all started when he took up Kageyama’s offer to pick-up pink carnations. He had had no need to do so, he already had a present for his mother. The florist was trying to make up for his bad attitude, it’s not like it would change Kei’s life. But he went, and in a way, his life did change.

Now, every time he’d go see his mother, he’d stop by to argue with Kageyama, under the pretense of buying pink carnations for her. He was really easy to rile up, and Kei felt a strange satisfaction from it. It helped him unwind, especially when things were hectic at work.

It was one of those days, he was going home after two months of working on the same file almost day and night. The break was well deserved, and he felt like he had no energy left. He still made the detour to the flower shop.

When he entered, Kageyama was nowhere in sight. Instead, a short boy with bright red hair welcomed him from the checkout.  _ At least it’s going to be quick _ .

Before he could make his way to the front, the clerk had left for the back. Kei could hear him talk excitedly, though his words were too rushed for him to make out what was said. 

The bickering from the backroom continued for a while, and once it stopped Kageyama was the one to step out. He stopped for a bit when their eyes met, obviously surprised.

"Oh. It's you again."

It was blunt, but expected. Kei only came once every month -every two months if he was busy-, but it was enough to know that Kageyama was just awkward when dealing with customers. It didn’t mean he had to spare him though, and Kei raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed.

It didn’t take long for Kageyama to realize his mistake, and his cheeks tinted with pink.

“I meant,” he stopped, taking a deep breath before trying again. “Welcome, what can I get for you today?” 

“You’re learning, I see,” Kei smirked, enjoying Kageyama’s reaction. He was glaring at him, daring him to say more. As much as he enjoyed this, Kei was too tired to mess with him for too long. “I’m just here for the usual.”

Kageyama nodded and left him alone to take care of his demand. Kei rubbed at his face, his two months without break catching up with him. He couldn’t wait to get home and finally rest. Maybe he should have skipped his trip to the florist…

“Here.”

He got his wallet from his back pocket, ready to pay, but stopped in his track when he realized Kageyama had brought two bouquets. Next to his usual pink carnation was a bouquet made of small white and blue flowers.

“What’s the second bouquet for?” He asked, looking back at Kageyama.

“It’s a gift,” he answered, quickly and oddly defensive. “For all your purchases those past months.”

It was strange, but Kei didn’t question it. Instead, he paid for it and examined the new flowers. 

“So what are those?”

“Azaleas and blueberry flowers,” Kageyama gave him back his change, less guarded than before. 

“And what do they mean?”

The florist looked to the side, and Kei could swear that his cheeks were pink.

“I didn’t pick them for the meaning,” he mumbled, and Kei raised his eyebrow at that. It was suspicious, but he wasn’t going to pry, not now.

“If you say so…”

\---

Once home Kei gave both bouquets to his mother and let her find some vases while he put his things away. Once in his old bedroom, repurposed as a guest room, he took the time to fish out his phone. From their first encounter, he’d known that Kageyama paid great attention to the language of flowers when he made bouquets, even when the customer didn’t mind. So it seemed unlikely that he would just give a random bouquet, even if it was for free.

A quick search made him realize that the language of flowers was more complicated than he realized, that it was full of subtleties. But it only took a few minutes to find out what they meant, and it left him speechless.

Azalea could mean take care of yourself, and with how tired he looked it was logic, but it could also mean first love. He was ready to put that meaning aside, but the blueberry flower meant that Kageyama was wondering how he could confess his love.

This got him to think.

Did Kageyama have feelings for him, or did he really choose those flowers because he could spare them? And if he did have feelings, did Kei feel the same? His stops to the flower shop and his banter with Kageyama put him in a good mood, but that was completely different…

He thought about it all weekend, but finally made his decision. 

The following Saturday, he took the train early on his rare day off, just to give his answer to Kageyama. When he entered the flower shop, he already had a bouquet in his hand, and Kageyama’s coworker was once again at the counter. It was a bit embarrassing, but he had made his mind.

He walked up to the redhead and asked to see Kageyama. The florist smiled up at Kei before heading back, and he waited anxiously, hoping he hadn’t misunderstood.

When Kageyama emerged from the back, he stopped in his track, looking at the white and yellow flowers in Kei’s hands.  _ It’s now or never… _

“There,” Kei said before he could get cold feet, handing him the bouquet. “A thank you for your bouquet.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

He was taken aback by Kageyama’s answer. He was looking all defensive, and Kei closed off too.

“Did I misread what that bouquet meant?”

“Probably not,” he answered, his arms now crossed over his chest, “but do you even know what those flowers mean?”

“I do,” Kei looked Kageyama in the eye. “White irises because you make me happy, and yellow ones because I like you.”

He turned crimson at those words, and Kei felt a strange satisfaction from the fact that he caused this. He finally moved from behind the counter and came to stand before Kei, slowly taking the bouquet. He whispered, low enough that only Kei could hear.

“You understood correctly.”


End file.
